The 1958–59 NCAA University Division men's basketball season began in December 1958, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 1959 NCAA University Division basketball tournament championship game on March 21, 1959, at Freedom Hall in Louisville, Kentucky. The California Golden Bears won their first NCAA national championship with a 71–70 victory over the West Virginia Mountainneers.
Season headlines
The Middle Atlantic Conference began NCAA University Division play, with 10 of its members competing as University Division schools. In the 1959 NCAA University Division basketball tournament, Eddie Hickey of Marquette became the first head coach to take three different teams to the NCAA tournament. He had done it previously with Creighton in 1941 in his first year as head coach and with Saint Louis in 1952. The Pacific Coast Conference disbanded at the end of the season.
Season outlook
Pre-season polls
The Top 20 from the AP Poll and the UPI Coaches Poll during the pre-season.
Associated PressRankingTeam1Cincinnati2Kentucky3Kansas State4West Virginia5NC State6Tennessee7Kansas8Mississippi State9Saint Louis10Northwestern11Notre Dame12Auburn13North Carolina14Saint Mary's15Michigan State16Xavier17Marquette18SMU19Indiana20(tie)Oklahoma StateSt. John's UPI CoachesRankingTeam1Cincinnati2Kansas State3Notre Dame4Kentucky5Michigan State6Washington7West Virginia8Xavier9Oklahoma State10St. John's11Maryland12NC State13Northwestern14North Carolina15Saint Joseph's16Saint Louis17Mississippi State18Purdue19Louisville20Iowa
Conference membership changes
SchoolFormer conferenceNew conference NCAA University Division independent Middle Atlantic Conference Western New York Little Three Conference NCAA University Division independent NCAA University Division independent Middle Atlantic Conference NCAA University Division independent non-NCAA University Division non-NCAA University Division Middle Atlantic Conference non-NCAA University Division NCAA University Division independent NCAA University Division independent non-NCAA University Division NCAA University Division independent Middle Atlantic Conference NCAA University Division independent Middle Atlantic Conference NCAA University Division independent Middle Atlantic Conference NCAA University Division independent Middle Atlantic Conference Western New York Little Three Conference NCAA University Division independentOklahoma State CowboysNCAA University Division independentBig Eight Conference NCAA University Division independent Middle Atlantic Conference Western New York Little Three Conference NCAA University Division independent NCAA University Division independent Middle Atlantic Conference NCAA University Division independent Middle Atlantic Conference NCAA University Division independent non-NCAA University Division Southern Conference NCAA University Division independent
Regular season Conferences Conference winners and tournaments
ConferenceRegular season winnerConference player of the yearConference tournamentTournament venue (City)Tournament winnerAtlantic Coast Conference North Carolina & Lou Pucillo, 2008–09 ACC Men's Basketball Media Guide – Year by Year section , retrieved 2009-02-14 1959 ACC men's basketball tournament Reynolds Coliseum(Raleigh, North Carolina) NC StateBig Eight Conference Kansas State Bob Boozer, No TournamentBig Ten Conference Michigan State None selected No TournamentBorder Conference & No TournamentIvy League Dartmouth None selected No TournamentMetropolitan New York Conference Manhattan No TournamentMid-American Conference Bowling Green State None selected No TournamentMiddle Atlantic Conference Saint Joseph's No TournamentMissouri Valley Conference Cincinnati None selected No TournamentMountain States (Skyline) Conference Utah No TournamentOhio Valley Conference Eastern Kentucky State None selected No TournamentPacific Coast Conference California No TournamentSoutheastern Conference Mississippi State None selected No TournamentSouthern Conference West Virginia Jerry West, 2008–09 SoCon Men's Basketball Media Guide – Honors Section , Southern Conference, retrieved 2009-02-09 1959 Southern Conference men's basketball tournament Richmond Arena(Richmond, Virginia) West Virginia2008–09 SoCon Men's Basketball Media Guide – Postseason Section , Southern Conference, retrieved 2009-02-09Southwest Conference TCU H. E. Kirchner, No TournamentWest Coast Athletic Conference Saint Mary's LaRoy Doss, & Pacific No TournamentYankee Conference Connecticut None selected No Tournament Conference standings
University Division independents A total of 42 college teams played as University Division independents. Among them, (20–3) had the best winning percentage (.870) and (23–6) finished with the most wins.
Informal championships ConferenceRegular season winnerMost Valuable PlayerPhiladelphia Big 5 Saint Joseph's Joe Spratt, Saint Joseph's Saint Joseph's finished with a 4–0 record in head-to-head competition among the Philadelphia Big 5.
Post-season tournaments
NCAA tournament
Final Four
National Invitation tournament
Semifinals & finals
Awards
Consensus All-American teams
+ Consensus First Team Player Position Class Team Bob Boozer F Senior Kansas State Johnny Cox G Senior Kentucky Bailey Howell F Senior Mississippi State Oscar Robertson G Junior Cincinnati Jerry West G Junior West Virginia
+ Consensus Second Team Player Position Class Team Leo Byrd G Senior Marshall Johnny Green F Senior Michigan State Tom Hawkins F Senior Notre Dame Don Hennon G Senior Pittsburgh Al Seiden G Senior St. John's
Major player of the year awards
Helms Player of the Year: Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati UPI Player of the Year: Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati Oscar Robertson Trophy (USBWA): Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati Sporting News Player of the Year: Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati
Major coach of the year awards
Henry Iba Award: Eddie Hickey, Marquette NABC Coach of the Year: Eddie Hickey, Marquette UPI Coach of the Year: Adolph Rupp, Kentucky
Other major awards
Robert V. Geasey Trophy (Top player in Philadelphia Big 5): Joe Spratt, Saint Joseph's NIT/Haggerty Award (Top player in New York City metro area): Al Seiden, St. John's
Coaching changes A number of teams changed coaches during the season and after it ended. TeamFormerCoachInterimCoachNewCoachReasonBoston UniversityMatt ZunicJohn H. Burke Jr. Zunic left to coach Massachusetts.CanisiusJoseph CurranBob MacKinnon CornellRoyner GreeneSam MacNeil DukeHarold BradleyVic Bubas Bradley left to coach Texas.IdahoHarlan HodgesDave Strack Idaho StateJohn GraysonJohn Evans Loyola (LA)Hank KuzmaBill Gardiner MassachusettsRobert T. CurranMatt Zunic MinnesotaOsborne CowlesJohn Kundla North TexasPete ShandsCharles Johnson RutgersWarren HarrisTony Kuolt San FranciscoPhil WoolpertRoss Giudice Assistant Giudice takes over coaching duties.South CarolinaWalt HambrickBob Stevens TennesseeEmmett LoweryJohn Sines Tennessee StateJohn McLendonHarold Hunter TexasMarshall HughesHarold Bradley Texas WesternGeorge McCartyHarold DavisVanderbiltRoy SkinnerBob Polk Polk returns after taking the year off for health related issues.West Texas StateBorden PriceMetz LaFollette
References